The Thursday Murder Club: Differences between Richard Osman's novel and the Netflix film

When The Thursday Murder Club hit shelves, it became an instant success. Richard Osman gave us a retirement home where the tea is hot, the friendships are sharp, and the cold cases are even colder. So of course Netflix came calling. With Spielberg’s Amblin Partners involved, the cameras rolled, and suddenly the sleepy corners of Cooper's Chase had a cinematic glow. But here’s the delicious catch: novels and films speak different languages, which means… changes.

Now, that doesn’t spell disaster. In fact, it’s where the real intrigue begins. Some moments get brighter spotlights, others shift into the shadows, and a few fresh twists sneak their way into the story. But if you're still intrigued to learn about parts of the film that weren't faithful to the book, you're at the right place. Here are seven differences Chris Columbus made to the story as he adapted it for the screen.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for The Thursday Murder Club

Bogdan had a different fate in the film version of The Thursday Murder Club

Still from The Thursday Murder Club (Image via Netflix)

One of the driving narratives of both the book and the movie version of The Thursday Murder Club is the death of Tony Curran. The co-owner of Cooper's Chase has a mysterious death, which becomes one of the core mysteries of the story. After a surprising twist, Elizabeth, played by Helen Mirren on screen, gets a confession out of Bogdan, the groundskeeper of the retirement house, who confesses to the murder to Elizabeth's husband.

In the movie, Bogdan faces charges and is arrested, but in the book, he isn’t arrested and ultimately gets away with the murder.

Tony Curran is murdered in different circumstances in both the movie and the book

In Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, Tony’s death is steeped in revenge and long-buried secrets. Decades earlier, Tony ordered the killing of Bogdan’s friend Kazimir after Kazimir witnessed Tony commit a murder in a pub. Using his associate, Turkish Gianni, Tony tricked Kazimir into driving into the woods, only for Kazimir to become the one buried. When Bogdan pieced the truth together, he killed Gianni quickly but waited patiently to deal with Tony. While installing Tony’s new security system, Bogdan rigged it so nothing would be recorded. Later, using a copied key, he entered Tony’s home and murdered him in cold blood.

The Netflix film chose to streamline this storyline. Tony’s backstory and Kaz’s murder are completely omitted, and instead, the conflict centers on Bogdan’s stolen passport. Tony refuses to return it, preventing Bogdan from visiting his terminally ill mother in Poland. Their argument escalates, and Tony attacks him first, forcing Bogdan to defend himself.

The character of Bernard was omitted

In The Thursday Murder Club the movie, a character called Bernard is briefly mentioned but in the movie, he has a bigger role.

Bernard is always seen sitting on a bench, and when asked about it, he always talks about how he misses his late wife and hence sits there. It arouses suspicion among the members of the club, and the real reason revealed later is much deeper.

Many days later, Joyce finds a letter taped to Bernard’s door: his suicide note. In it, he admits he longed for his late wife, Asima, and felt no reason to go on. He reveals his daughter believed she’d scattered Asima’s ashes in the Ganges, but Bernard had kept them buried beneath the cemetery bench. That’s why he visited daily, to be close to her, though guilt still haunted him for deceiving his daughter.

Father Matthew Mackie has a much more significant role in the book

In the film version of The Thursday Murder Club, Father Matthew Mackie plays a minor role, only appearing to protest the demolition of land near Coopers Chase. The book, however, gives him a darker, more emotional storyline.

In the book, he is one of the suspects for one of the murders, until he finally reveals his backstory. Matthew reveals his truth at Sister Margaret Anne’s grave, with Elizabeth, Chris, Joyce, and Donna listening. At twenty-five, he arrived at the convent to fill their need for a priest, performing sermons and confessions despite not being ordained. There, he fell in love with Sister Maggie, and their secret affair led to her pregnancy. When another sister exposed her, Maggie faced exile. Unable to bear the shame, she took her own life and that of her unborn child, Patrick. Quietly buried in the cemetery, Maggie became Matthew’s reason for returning years later, desperate to protect her resting place.

In the book, Elizabeth doesn't have a stalker

One of the most mysterious moments in Netflix's The Thursday Murder Club is when Elizabeth is stalked by someone in the dark, who warns her not to wake the dead. It's a moment of mystery, and one that contributes to the plot but in the book, there's no moment as such and the stalker was just added to the film to add to the suspicions.

Gianni's character goes through significant changes in the movie

Turkish Gianni looms large in the novel of The Thursday Murder Club but is nowhere to be found in the film adaptation. In the book, he’s introduced as a classic red herring, rumored to have resurfaced from Cyprus to take revenge on Tony Curran for stealing money. Jason Ritchie and Bobby Tanner are convinced he’s the culprit, and DCI Chris even chases leads all the way to Gianni’s mobster father, who swears he hasn’t seen his son in years. The police never found him, yet still blame him for Tony’s death.

For the movie version, Columbus cut Gianni altogether, streamlining the mystery by redirecting focus onto Bobby Tanner.

Joyce ends up owning Cooper's Chase in different circumstances in the movie

In the film, Elizabeth persuades Bobby Tanner to sell the property to Joyce, safeguarding the community’s future. While both versions feature Joyce’s daughter Joanna buying Cooper’s Chase through her firm, Bramley Holdings, the novel shifts the agency. There, Joanna uncovers Ventham’s legal files, pieces the plan together herself, and ultimately surprises her mother and The Thursday Murder Club by orchestrating the purchase, making the reveal a touching twist in the book.